Paralympic tickets now on sale

First phase of sales will end June 6

"Without question the Paralympic Winter Games are one of the most exceptional values in sports and entertainment," said Caley Denton, vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing for the 2010 Vancouver Organizing Committee.

"Spectators will leave having witnessed first-hand the determination and courage of some of the world's finest athletes - and that will stay with people forever."

Approximately a quarter of a million tickets to the 64 medal competitions and ceremony events at the Paralympic Winter Games will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at www.vancouver2010.com, with Visa the exclusive payment method. Thirty per cent are reserved for sponsors and officials.

Individual ticket prices to sport events start at $15. And VANOC is offering group ticket prices for most of the events so if you have more than 20 people tickets are just $10.

"There's something indefinable about attending an event in person with friends and family that goes far beyond the memories of the results of the competition itself," said Denton.

More than 70 per cent per cent of all individual tickets are priced at $20 or less. Ticket prices for the spectacular opening ceremony at B.C. Place range from $30 to $175, compared with the Olympic opening-ceremony prices of $185 to $1,118 in the same building.

There is no ticket information yet about the closing ceremonies to the Paralympics at Whistler's Celebration Plaza, as discussions around how that will work are still taking place.

Nor is it clear yet how spectators from the Lower Mainland will get to Whistler. Paralympic venues in Whistler can accommodate about 11,000 people.

Anyone who bought Olympic tickets should use the same online account, and will only pay one delivery charge.

Tickets will remain on sale until just before the next round of Olympic ticket sales, which begins June 6.

In a media teleconference Denton said organizers don't expect an immediate sell-out of all Paralympic tickets because past Games have shown that many people don't buy them until shortly before the event.
Organizers are hoping to raise $260 million from the sale of Olympic and Paralympic tickets.

The first round of Olympic sales generated $94.7 million.

International residents should contact their respective National Paralympic Committee for information on purchasing tickets.